August Week One Workout
crowned master
Courtesy of Event of The Year Photos.
The colts glittered in the morning sun, muscles bulging, tails waving in the barely there breeze. The breeze was a reminder that winter would be here soon. Coats would be dug out, the barn would be heated, buckets would have to be cracked with axes and life on a thoroughbred farm would get increasingly harder with every day that passed. However, this was a thrilling moment for those at Witch Creek Stable. There were only five months until the Breeders Cup in December Week Four. The horses were getting tougher and tougher. Some of them were proving competitive no matter what race they ran in or against whom. The Breeders Cup would be the final coming out party of Witch Creek Stable. It would determine championships. Ripley Marsh was in her glory at the moment.
Maggie was not. The blonde woman looked barely alive as she mounted GS Royal Crown. Black mascara circle her barely opened baby blues. Her hair was rumpled, her sweatshirt wrinkled. She'd partied hard last night and a hang over with the intensity of Hurricane Katrina was decimating her thoughts. Ripley pursed her lips, anxious for her friend, but she couldn't say anything. They had a background together and their friendship had fractured a little in the past few months. Ripley wanted to get Maggie help. She just didn't know how.
Instead the auburn haired woman bowed her head and ran her fingers through the shorted red mane of her top two year old colt. Mastermind was gorgeous and looked like the true athlete that he was. He wasn't the typical burly foe that Witch Creek usually produced which was why he stood out so much. Mastermind had a fairly strong fan base for a horse so young. His brilliance and raw talent won the crowd over. His beauty and arrogance made them in awe. Ripley herself, always felt in awe to the strong colt and she lived with him every single day. He just did things that no one could explain. Ripley was in thrall to the Speed Demon colt. Her first true blue El Sol del Mar offspring was beyond words. The woman had no idea where she would send him in the big championship races at the end of the year. Maybe she would skip it altogether and throw the handicappers and race analysts into tizzies. There could be no measure of true two year old talent without Witch Creek's top representative.
The head trainer glanced over at GS Royal Crown anxiously. However, if there was one colt that could end up being Mastermind's top threat it was one of Witch Creek's very own. Crow was growing into a monster. His chest was so filled out and he was so magnificent to look at. There was no doubt he would be one of the top turf three year olds next year on the track. And maybe he would revert to dirt because it was known he could run on that surface too. It would be an experiment that Ripley had to think about. She had three two year old colts, all of whom could be proficient on the dirt. Red Herring, who'd just recently dead heated in the Humana Stakes at The Wire, was looking to get back to his winning ways. Mastermind had run well in the Azalea Cup Colts and would be nearing grade two by the end of the season, Ripley was hoping. To be a grade three at two years old was an accomplishment, to be a grade two as a two year old was nearly impossible.
Maggie was lost in her own world aboard Crow. The bold horse was not giving her any trouble for once. He usually was flipping out and going nuts. However, he simply stood looking about the track as if it weren't a scene he saw every day of his life. Ripley reached over and patted Maggie's arm. The blonde woman shuddered awake, as if she'd been in a trance. Ripley narrowed her cat green eyes at Maggie's appearance. You look like you slept under a rock the whole night. Maggie grunted and picked up the reins. Crow stepped out beneath her casually. He really was becoming a classy horse as the year passed on.
Ripley followed with her hot-blooded Mastermind. The chestnut dipped his head and pranced eagerly after Crow. He was eager to try the steel gray out. After all, Ripley was switching things up for Crow. The horse would be running over the dirt track today so maybe he had the right to look at it as if it were an alien. Mastermind picked up a graceful trot, reaching elegantly and strutting his stuff. GS Royal Crown flicked his ears when Maggie asked him to pick up a trot as well. He pinned them when Mastermind drew up close. Mastermind bared his teeth and let out a warning buck. Ripley sat through it and grinned at Maggie. Maggie, however, was too inside herself to catch it. Ripley shook her head. Mile gallop. Seven furlong workout.
With that cold remark, Ripley signaled Mastermind to pick up a gallop. She leaned forward mixing her brown-red tresses with his. He was so powerful and dependable. He always brought his A-game and for some reason that A-game was always brilliant and beautiful. She never had to ask him for anything. He gave his head and played on the bit. The Speed Demon colt could relax so nicely for a son of two very determined front runners. She let him run out for two strides and quickly gathered him back, smirking when he obliged and became almost dressage like in his frame. She glanced at Crow and shook her head. Now that one could never make a dressage horse.
Crow rumbled over the track, his bold feet flying over the ground. He was on auto-pilot. Maggie held onto his mane and let him do as he pleased. The colt expanded himself, taking control, but not flying by Mastermind. He was nicely extended, body spreading like a greyhound. His mane was like an ominous storm cloud. His splashed white face remained at Mastermind's haunch. Maggie fingered the reins, looking up as Ripley continued to look back. Her jock was a mess and Ripley was displeased. It was time to do something new. Ripley sat back, took Mastermind in hand and he slowed to a gallop until Crow was level with him. Maggie stared at her and Ripley glared. Give me the reins Maggiletti. Maggie obliged, a hurt looking coming into her face. She thought Ripley was going to end it there, but no. It was going to be embarrassing. Now hold onto his mane. If you wont work him out, I will.
Ripley let Mastermind's reins slide through her finger's, sharp green eyes flickering over the track, even more aware of the situation than before. Crow did not balk at Ripley's control. This would be just another pony ride. He relaxed as if that was it, but Mastermind was tense as a lion about to pounce. Ripley cooed to the beautiful chestnut and smiled when he took up a strong cruising gallop, that put Crow at the end of the reins. The big Seabiscuit son looked just as shocked as Maggie did at the moment. Ripley clucked, pulled the reins and Crow suddenly caught the drift. He bounded up to come level with Mastermind, body colliding with his apparent rival. Maggie remained motionless, her stirrups clinking with Ripley's, but neither woman noticed or cared. Ripley felt the power zipping through both well-bred colts. They were burning to outdo each other, dying to destroy each other with speed.
Mastermind remained focused on keeping side-by-side with Crow, but he was playing more with the snaffle. He wanted to gun it and break loose, make it a no-contest. Ripley held him in check with her left hand. Crow bowed his neck, pulling her dominant hand lower. Ripley smirked and raised her hand, forcing Crow to return to his original position. Both colts extended and gave Ripley all she asked. They were enjoying the fact that they were pushing one another around. Their bodies collided and they went from side to side, legs flying beneath them. The mile was going by sooner than Ripley expected. She was enjoying the control she had over both monsters. It was exciting and powerful. She reveled in it.
She urged Mastermind still faster, ignoring Maggie's protests. Crow easily kept up, his original lumbering stride becoming bolder, faster, stronger. The head trainer grinned when Mastermind pulled for more. He was excited. This stuff never happened in training. As the horses marched into the final turn, Ripley loosened her grip on Crow's reins. Mastermind cut the turn, dragging Crow into his hips. Mastermind squealed and dragged Crow up. Ripley collected Mastermind again, letting Crow catch up. They straightened out into the homestretch. The beginning of the seven furlong workout was here.
And Ripley let go of Crow's reins. She goaded Mastermind forward, his hooves digging deep into the loamy track. He was ecstatic to be free of Crow for the moment. He leaped forward like a cheetah, stride instantly going from 20 miles per hour to nearly 40. He was all go and Ripley had released him. There was nothing like him in full flight. Ripley glanced around, putting the Speed Demon son briefly on auto-pilot. He knew the dirt track as well as she did.
Maggie was awake now. Her fingers grappled for the reins as the gathering wind whipped her face. Mastermind was leaving them in the dust and Crow was lost without her signals. The blonde called to him, pushed forward mightily with her weight and hands. Instantly, GS Royal Crown picked up the message and roared to focus and life. The steel gray bounded forward, a compelling kick even on the dirt surface. He swallowed Mastermind's lead with his great strides. Maggie yelled and yelled, until tears streamed down her face, overwrought with emotion. Ripley had returned to her original position aboard Mastermind. She attempted to tune out her friends tears and shouts. She knew they weren't aimed toward the horse that stormed beneath her.
Mastermind sensed the challenge and without Ripley's guiding hand, he took off again. Rebreaking just as GS Royal Crown hit full swing on his gallop out. The pair whipped violently into the clubhouse turn, rampaging up the backstretch. There was no end to the fury and competitive fire that burned between them. Mastermind pinned his ears, knees lifting determinedly. GS Royal Crown's neck was level with his hulking body. He was impressing the awake Maggie with every stride. Most horses couldn't hold a candle to Mastermind in full flight. But hers could.
Crow remained latched at his precocious stable mate's hip. Mastermind was brilliant. He found more every time Crow hit another gear. Ripley was beyond ecstatic. Both her colts were performing marvelously. There was nothing outside of these two.
They'd drawn an audience at the top of the hill. Reese. Brooks. Justin. Connor. Clint. Some of the grooms and financial staff. They were floored by the sight of their top two year olds going at one another like it was their day job. Brooks had a stopwatch in his hand, staring at the time when the pair cruised into the homestretch once again. Their workout ended halfway up the homestretch if they were truly doing the seven furlong blitz Ripley had promised.
Mastermind still remained the better horse at this point. His strong shoulders were just ahead of GS Royal Crown's fired up face. Both female riders were low over their shoulders, pumping their fingers, egging their colts on. Maggie's yells and tears had ceased. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins. All thoughts besides beating Ripley had stopped. Ripley only wanted to beat Maggie and show her how outside problems could effect riding.
GS Royal Crown and Mastermind were deadlocked now. Mastermind was holding on by a whisker. Crow wanted to win for Maggie. She was pushing him and egging him on. Her horse. Her life. Ripley called as Mastermind fell back a moment when Crow pinned him on the rail. Ripley pulled him up, calling foul. She drew Mastermind back, collecting him. She thought it was over, but to Mastermind it wasn't. Crow was gunning beyond seven furlongs. Maggie didn't want to stop. Crow was the best thing that had happened to her. She slowed her frantic hands, but then hoofbeats to her right sounded and she stared.
Mastermind's brilliantly lit frame overwhelmed Crow on the outside. He was a phoenix rising to fight again. The copper colt roared up to take the win by a half-length. Maggie let out a stream of curses and Ripley dropped to hug her colt's neck. Sweat and tears mingled. These two were all heart and talent. They would be the top colts by the end of Year Twelve and Year Thirteen.
Maggie was not. The blonde woman looked barely alive as she mounted GS Royal Crown. Black mascara circle her barely opened baby blues. Her hair was rumpled, her sweatshirt wrinkled. She'd partied hard last night and a hang over with the intensity of Hurricane Katrina was decimating her thoughts. Ripley pursed her lips, anxious for her friend, but she couldn't say anything. They had a background together and their friendship had fractured a little in the past few months. Ripley wanted to get Maggie help. She just didn't know how.
Instead the auburn haired woman bowed her head and ran her fingers through the shorted red mane of her top two year old colt. Mastermind was gorgeous and looked like the true athlete that he was. He wasn't the typical burly foe that Witch Creek usually produced which was why he stood out so much. Mastermind had a fairly strong fan base for a horse so young. His brilliance and raw talent won the crowd over. His beauty and arrogance made them in awe. Ripley herself, always felt in awe to the strong colt and she lived with him every single day. He just did things that no one could explain. Ripley was in thrall to the Speed Demon colt. Her first true blue El Sol del Mar offspring was beyond words. The woman had no idea where she would send him in the big championship races at the end of the year. Maybe she would skip it altogether and throw the handicappers and race analysts into tizzies. There could be no measure of true two year old talent without Witch Creek's top representative.
The head trainer glanced over at GS Royal Crown anxiously. However, if there was one colt that could end up being Mastermind's top threat it was one of Witch Creek's very own. Crow was growing into a monster. His chest was so filled out and he was so magnificent to look at. There was no doubt he would be one of the top turf three year olds next year on the track. And maybe he would revert to dirt because it was known he could run on that surface too. It would be an experiment that Ripley had to think about. She had three two year old colts, all of whom could be proficient on the dirt. Red Herring, who'd just recently dead heated in the Humana Stakes at The Wire, was looking to get back to his winning ways. Mastermind had run well in the Azalea Cup Colts and would be nearing grade two by the end of the season, Ripley was hoping. To be a grade three at two years old was an accomplishment, to be a grade two as a two year old was nearly impossible.
Maggie was lost in her own world aboard Crow. The bold horse was not giving her any trouble for once. He usually was flipping out and going nuts. However, he simply stood looking about the track as if it weren't a scene he saw every day of his life. Ripley reached over and patted Maggie's arm. The blonde woman shuddered awake, as if she'd been in a trance. Ripley narrowed her cat green eyes at Maggie's appearance. You look like you slept under a rock the whole night. Maggie grunted and picked up the reins. Crow stepped out beneath her casually. He really was becoming a classy horse as the year passed on.
Ripley followed with her hot-blooded Mastermind. The chestnut dipped his head and pranced eagerly after Crow. He was eager to try the steel gray out. After all, Ripley was switching things up for Crow. The horse would be running over the dirt track today so maybe he had the right to look at it as if it were an alien. Mastermind picked up a graceful trot, reaching elegantly and strutting his stuff. GS Royal Crown flicked his ears when Maggie asked him to pick up a trot as well. He pinned them when Mastermind drew up close. Mastermind bared his teeth and let out a warning buck. Ripley sat through it and grinned at Maggie. Maggie, however, was too inside herself to catch it. Ripley shook her head. Mile gallop. Seven furlong workout.
With that cold remark, Ripley signaled Mastermind to pick up a gallop. She leaned forward mixing her brown-red tresses with his. He was so powerful and dependable. He always brought his A-game and for some reason that A-game was always brilliant and beautiful. She never had to ask him for anything. He gave his head and played on the bit. The Speed Demon colt could relax so nicely for a son of two very determined front runners. She let him run out for two strides and quickly gathered him back, smirking when he obliged and became almost dressage like in his frame. She glanced at Crow and shook her head. Now that one could never make a dressage horse.
Crow rumbled over the track, his bold feet flying over the ground. He was on auto-pilot. Maggie held onto his mane and let him do as he pleased. The colt expanded himself, taking control, but not flying by Mastermind. He was nicely extended, body spreading like a greyhound. His mane was like an ominous storm cloud. His splashed white face remained at Mastermind's haunch. Maggie fingered the reins, looking up as Ripley continued to look back. Her jock was a mess and Ripley was displeased. It was time to do something new. Ripley sat back, took Mastermind in hand and he slowed to a gallop until Crow was level with him. Maggie stared at her and Ripley glared. Give me the reins Maggiletti. Maggie obliged, a hurt looking coming into her face. She thought Ripley was going to end it there, but no. It was going to be embarrassing. Now hold onto his mane. If you wont work him out, I will.
Ripley let Mastermind's reins slide through her finger's, sharp green eyes flickering over the track, even more aware of the situation than before. Crow did not balk at Ripley's control. This would be just another pony ride. He relaxed as if that was it, but Mastermind was tense as a lion about to pounce. Ripley cooed to the beautiful chestnut and smiled when he took up a strong cruising gallop, that put Crow at the end of the reins. The big Seabiscuit son looked just as shocked as Maggie did at the moment. Ripley clucked, pulled the reins and Crow suddenly caught the drift. He bounded up to come level with Mastermind, body colliding with his apparent rival. Maggie remained motionless, her stirrups clinking with Ripley's, but neither woman noticed or cared. Ripley felt the power zipping through both well-bred colts. They were burning to outdo each other, dying to destroy each other with speed.
Mastermind remained focused on keeping side-by-side with Crow, but he was playing more with the snaffle. He wanted to gun it and break loose, make it a no-contest. Ripley held him in check with her left hand. Crow bowed his neck, pulling her dominant hand lower. Ripley smirked and raised her hand, forcing Crow to return to his original position. Both colts extended and gave Ripley all she asked. They were enjoying the fact that they were pushing one another around. Their bodies collided and they went from side to side, legs flying beneath them. The mile was going by sooner than Ripley expected. She was enjoying the control she had over both monsters. It was exciting and powerful. She reveled in it.
She urged Mastermind still faster, ignoring Maggie's protests. Crow easily kept up, his original lumbering stride becoming bolder, faster, stronger. The head trainer grinned when Mastermind pulled for more. He was excited. This stuff never happened in training. As the horses marched into the final turn, Ripley loosened her grip on Crow's reins. Mastermind cut the turn, dragging Crow into his hips. Mastermind squealed and dragged Crow up. Ripley collected Mastermind again, letting Crow catch up. They straightened out into the homestretch. The beginning of the seven furlong workout was here.
And Ripley let go of Crow's reins. She goaded Mastermind forward, his hooves digging deep into the loamy track. He was ecstatic to be free of Crow for the moment. He leaped forward like a cheetah, stride instantly going from 20 miles per hour to nearly 40. He was all go and Ripley had released him. There was nothing like him in full flight. Ripley glanced around, putting the Speed Demon son briefly on auto-pilot. He knew the dirt track as well as she did.
Maggie was awake now. Her fingers grappled for the reins as the gathering wind whipped her face. Mastermind was leaving them in the dust and Crow was lost without her signals. The blonde called to him, pushed forward mightily with her weight and hands. Instantly, GS Royal Crown picked up the message and roared to focus and life. The steel gray bounded forward, a compelling kick even on the dirt surface. He swallowed Mastermind's lead with his great strides. Maggie yelled and yelled, until tears streamed down her face, overwrought with emotion. Ripley had returned to her original position aboard Mastermind. She attempted to tune out her friends tears and shouts. She knew they weren't aimed toward the horse that stormed beneath her.
Mastermind sensed the challenge and without Ripley's guiding hand, he took off again. Rebreaking just as GS Royal Crown hit full swing on his gallop out. The pair whipped violently into the clubhouse turn, rampaging up the backstretch. There was no end to the fury and competitive fire that burned between them. Mastermind pinned his ears, knees lifting determinedly. GS Royal Crown's neck was level with his hulking body. He was impressing the awake Maggie with every stride. Most horses couldn't hold a candle to Mastermind in full flight. But hers could.
Crow remained latched at his precocious stable mate's hip. Mastermind was brilliant. He found more every time Crow hit another gear. Ripley was beyond ecstatic. Both her colts were performing marvelously. There was nothing outside of these two.
They'd drawn an audience at the top of the hill. Reese. Brooks. Justin. Connor. Clint. Some of the grooms and financial staff. They were floored by the sight of their top two year olds going at one another like it was their day job. Brooks had a stopwatch in his hand, staring at the time when the pair cruised into the homestretch once again. Their workout ended halfway up the homestretch if they were truly doing the seven furlong blitz Ripley had promised.
Mastermind still remained the better horse at this point. His strong shoulders were just ahead of GS Royal Crown's fired up face. Both female riders were low over their shoulders, pumping their fingers, egging their colts on. Maggie's yells and tears had ceased. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins. All thoughts besides beating Ripley had stopped. Ripley only wanted to beat Maggie and show her how outside problems could effect riding.
GS Royal Crown and Mastermind were deadlocked now. Mastermind was holding on by a whisker. Crow wanted to win for Maggie. She was pushing him and egging him on. Her horse. Her life. Ripley called as Mastermind fell back a moment when Crow pinned him on the rail. Ripley pulled him up, calling foul. She drew Mastermind back, collecting him. She thought it was over, but to Mastermind it wasn't. Crow was gunning beyond seven furlongs. Maggie didn't want to stop. Crow was the best thing that had happened to her. She slowed her frantic hands, but then hoofbeats to her right sounded and she stared.
Mastermind's brilliantly lit frame overwhelmed Crow on the outside. He was a phoenix rising to fight again. The copper colt roared up to take the win by a half-length. Maggie let out a stream of curses and Ripley dropped to hug her colt's neck. Sweat and tears mingled. These two were all heart and talent. They would be the top colts by the end of Year Twelve and Year Thirteen.